It’s that time of year again. The table groans under the weight of the feast, and a meal that’s been weeks in the planning is about to be demolished in minutes. Whatever you’ll be cooking this year, it’s definitely worth giving a bit of thought to the wines you’ll be serving with it. Here are a few pointers to get you on your way. Read the rest of this entry »

There’s a nip in the air. The leaves are turning, the nights drawing in. It’s legitimately acceptable to resume casserole consumption. Autumn has arrived. And for the grape growers north of the equator this means only one thing – the grape harvest, the most important time of the year. This is where the vignerons get to see the fruits of their labour, and for us wine drinkers, we get our first indications of the likely quality of this year’s wines. But for the average consumer the vintage is just one more factor in making wine purchasing that little bit more confusing. So, how important is it to consider the year the wine was made in, and is it something you need to worry about?

The concept of food and wine matching is as old as the hills, but seems to have gone out of fashion in recent times. With the popularity of the tasting menu in many top UK restaurants it’s enjoying a timely renaissance. If you’re going to a bit of effort cooking some nice food, then it’s definitely worth giving some thought to the wines that go with it. So here are a few tips to get you started.